George Thomas Holloway died in London on October 24th, 1917, after a long and painful illness, aged 54 years.
He entered the Royal College of Science in 1881, and obtained his Associateship in Chemistry three years later. From 1884 to 1886 he was Assistant-Demonstrator in Chemistry to the College. After a trip
to Newfoundland, he established a practice as a consulting metallurgist, chemist and assayer in Chancery Lane, where he remained from 1886 to 1910, when the exigencies of his growing practice led to its transference to the ore testing works and laboratories at Limehouse.
Mr. Holloway was a Fellow of the Institute of Chemistry, for which society he acted as Examiner; and he also performed the same office for the University of Birmingham. In 1915, he was appointed Chairman of the Royal Ontario Nickel Commission, a position which required a large amount of travelling, not only between England and Canada, but also to Norway. This, to one who laboured under serious physical disabilities, was peculiarly trying, and he returned from Toronto in the spring of 1917, considerably impaired in health. It was hoped that the serious symptoms which manifested themselves would pass away, but the strain which had been placed upon him was too severe for his frail constitution, and as autumn drew on it became evident that there was no hope of his recovery. All through life he had been handicapped by permanent lameness and tubercular tendencies, but he lived to accomplish more than many men who had all the advantages which he lacked. For one who found all physical effort a trial he was exceedingly active and had travelled considerably.
The report of the Nickel Commission, in which he took so important a part, was issued in July, 1917, and bears striking witness to the care and thoroughness with which the investigations were made. Mr. Holloway was keenly interested in the affairs of the Institution, and took a prominent part in the discussions on metallurgical subjects. He was the author of three papers which are published in the Transactions: ‘Laboratory Crucible and Muffle Furnaces’; ‘Assay of Telluride Ores’; ‘Notes on the Valuation of Ores and Minerals, and on Metallurgical Calculations.’ He was a Member of Council of the Institution from 1907 till the time of his death, and for the last four years was one of its Vice-Presidents.
Mr. Holloway was elected a Member of the Institution in 1902.
Vol. 27, Trans IMM 1917-18, pp.399-400
